estimating carrying capacity of cool-season pastures in

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University of Kentucky UKnowledge Agriculture and Natural Resources Publications Cooperative Extension Service 8-2016 Estimating Carrying Capacity of Cool-Season Pastures in Kentucky using Web Soil Survey S. Ray Smith University of Kentucky, [email protected] Krista Lea University of Kentucky, [email protected] Right click to open a feedback form in a new tab to let us know how this document benefits you. Follow this and additional works at: hps://uknowledge.uky.edu/anr_reports Part of the Agriculture Commons , and the Environmental Sciences Commons is Report is brought to you for free and open access by the Cooperative Extension Service at UKnowledge. It has been accepted for inclusion in Agriculture and Natural Resources Publications by an authorized administrator of UKnowledge. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Repository Citation Smith, S. Ray and Lea, Krista, "Estimating Carrying Capacity of Cool-Season Pastures in Kentucky using Web Soil Survey" (2016). Agriculture and Natural Resources Publications. 96. hps://uknowledge.uky.edu/anr_reports/96

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University of KentuckyUKnowledge

Agriculture and Natural Resources Publications Cooperative Extension Service

8-2016

Estimating Carrying Capacity of Cool-SeasonPastures in Kentucky using Web Soil SurveyS. Ray SmithUniversity of Kentucky, [email protected]

Krista LeaUniversity of Kentucky, [email protected]

Right click to open a feedback form in a new tab to let us know how this document benefits you.

Follow this and additional works at: https://uknowledge.uky.edu/anr_reports

Part of the Agriculture Commons, and the Environmental Sciences Commons

This Report is brought to you for free and open access by the Cooperative Extension Service at UKnowledge. It has been accepted for inclusion inAgriculture and Natural Resources Publications by an authorized administrator of UKnowledge. For more information, please [email protected].

Repository CitationSmith, S. Ray and Lea, Krista, "Estimating Carrying Capacity of Cool-Season Pastures in Kentucky using Web Soil Survey" (2016).Agriculture and Natural Resources Publications. 96.https://uknowledge.uky.edu/anr_reports/96

Cooperative Extension Service | Agriculture and Natural Resources | Family and Consumer Sciences | 4-H Youth Development | Community and Economic Development

University of KentuckyCollege of Agriculture,Food and EnvironmentCooperative Extension ServiceAGR-222

Estimating Carrying Capacity of Cool-Season Pastures in Kentucky using Web Soil SurveyS. Ray Smith and Krista Lea, Plant and Soil Sciences

The stocking rate of livestock on a pas-ture is known to have a significant impact on both forage productivity and financial profitability of an operation. Too many animals in a field results in overgrazing and the need to provide costly supple-mental feed; too few animals results in underutilized forages and therefore lost income. While many factors influence how many animals a farm can carry, soil type has a major influence and should be considered when purchasing, leas-ing, planning, or managing livestock on pastures.

Carrying capacity is defined as the number of animals that the environ-ment can sustain indefinitely given the food, habitat, water, and other necessities available in the environ-ment. For livestock, carrying capacity refers to how many animals a farm or pasture can carry throughout the year without negative environmental impacts. Carrying capacity is based on

the soil type and slope of the land, char-acteristics that take thousands of years or more to change. The productive capacity of the land will dictate what that land is most useful for.

National Cooperative Soil SurveyThe National Cooperative Soil Survey

(NCSS) program began in 1896 as an attempt to survey and map soils in the United States. The program started small, surveying 2.8 million acres in Maryland, Connecticut, Utah, and New Mexico. Today, soil survey data is available on the internet for the entire country as the Web Soil Survey (WSS) and is maintained by the United States Department of Agri-culture Natural Resource Conservation Service (USDA-NRCS).

Using Web Soil SurveyWeb Soil Survey has a tremendous

wealth of information both in and out of agriculture. This publication will focus

on using Web Soil Survey to calculate the livestock carrying capacity on cool season pastures.

1. Navigate to the Web Soil Survey homepage at http://websoilsurvey.sc.egov.usda.gov/App/HomePage.htm. Click the green START WSS button.

2. Enter the address of the property in question and click VIEW to display the land area. (capture 1). The area of interest can also be located by other means such as latitude and longitude.

3. Find the property by using the tools at the top of the satellite photo. Use the + magnifying glass to zoom in, the - magnifying glass to zoom out, and the hand tool to move the map left, right, up or down.

Capture 1. Find the property in question by entering the address, latitude and longitude or other criteria.

U. S. Department of Agriculture

2

4. Outline the area of interest (AOI) using the AOI rectangle or polygon buttons on the right. Double click on the last point to complete the area. When finished, the total acres selected will appear on the left (capture 2).

5. To view the soil map for the selected area, click the Soil Map tab at the very top (above the map). Click Printable Version on the right to view these documents in a PDF form. (Your browser pop-up blockers must be disabled) (capture 3).

6. To retrieve the pasture ratings, click Soil Data Explorer, then the dropdown arrows for Vegetative productivity. Click Yields of Non-Irrigated Crops (Map Unit) and select Pasture from the dropdown menu under Basic Options (capture 4). Finally, click View Rating. Click Printable Version in the right corner to view as a PDF (capture 5).

Capture 2. Select the Area Of Interest (AOI)

Capture 3. View the soil map for the Area Of Interest

U. S. Department of Agriculture

U. S. Department of Agriculture

3

Interpreting Soil RatingsSoil ratings will range from 1 to 9.5 animal unit months

(AUM). AUM is how many months one acre of land can carry one 1,000 lb animal (1,000 lbs = 1 animal unit). Acres per animal (A/A) is an easier unit to work with and easy to calculate. To convert the AUM to animals per acre you must first calculate an animal adjustment factor by dividing the average weight of your animals by one thousand, which provides the number of animal units per animal. Next, divide the AUM rating provided by Web Soil Survey by the animal adjustment factor. Finally, divide 12 (for months in a year) by the adjusted AUM rating to convert to acres per animal. The following example shows the steps to calculate acres per animal for sheep weighing an aver-age of 300 lb on a field with an AUM rating of 9.5.

Step 1. Animal Adjustment Factor = Average Animal Weight ÷ 1,000 =300÷1,000 = 0.3 animal units per animal

Step 2. Adjusted AUM = AUM Rating ÷ Animal Adjustment Factor = 9.5 ÷ 0.3 = 31.7 animal-months per acre

Step 3. Acres per animal = 12÷ Adjusted AUM = 12 ÷ 31.7= 0.4 acres per animal - year

Capture 4. In the Soil Data Explorer tab, select “pasture” to view the pasture ratings for the Area Of Interest

Capture 5. The Soil Map will now be color coded to illustrate pasture ratings

U. S. Department of Agriculture

U. S. Department of Agriculture

4

Table 1. Example Acres per Animal needed for livestock on high and low AUM rated pastures.

AnimalSize

(lbs/animal)AUM

RatingAcres per

Animal

Sheep 300 9.5 0.4

Sheep 300 6.0 0.6

Cow 1000 9.5 1.3

Cow 1000 6.0 2.0

Horse 1200 9.5 1.5

Horse 1200 6.0 2.4

In the previous example we calculated that 0.4 acres would be required per 300 lb sheep to graze for one year on a field with an AUM rating of 9.5. The table below provides example calculations for two different fields, one with an AUM rating of 9.5 and one with a rating of 6.0, for three different sized animals.

Calculations from Table 1 indicate that 0.4 acres would be needed for sheep on well-rated soils (9.5) and slightly more for poorer soils. Two acres would be needed for a 1,000 lb cow on low rated soil and almost 2.5 acres for a 1,200 lb horse on similar land.

Comparing Productive CapacitiesFor the purposes of this publication,

two tracts of land were selected for comparison. Farm A contains just over 1,000 acres located in Fayette County and is currently used for horse pasture. Farm B is approximately 950 acres in Owen County and is currently used for beef production.

Farm A is dominated by Bluegrass-Maury silt loam with a 2 to 6 percent slope (uBlmB) and has a rating of 9.5. This is one of the highest ratings in Kentucky for pasture and could sustain a 1,000 lb cow on 1.3 acres or a 1,200 lb horse on 1.5 acres. Another soil type, Maury-Bluegrass silt loam with a 6 to 12 percent slope is similar but has a slightly lower rating of 9, mainly due to the increased slope. Water will run off sloped land more

quickly, increasing erosion and decreas-ing water available for pasture plants.

Farm B is dominated by Eden flaggy silty clay with 20 to 30 percent slope and is severely eroded (EfE3) with a rating of 4.8. Farm B will need to allocate 2.5 acres for a 1,000 lb cow or 3 acres for a 1,200 lb horse. Although this soil may not have the highest rating, it can still be productive and profitable when managed correctly and not over-grazed.

Uses and LimitationsWhen rating soil types, Web Soil

Survey makes a few key assumptions. The rating assumes good pasture man-agement. Good pasture management includes maintaining good grass cover, managing weeds, rotational grazing, and maintaining soil fertility. Web Soil Sur-vey also assumes average weather condi-tions. Events such as a late spring, hard winter, or dry summer will all impact the carrying capacity. Keep in mind that these are yearlong averages; in most years there will be excessive pasture growth in the spring that may not all be utilized, and hay feeding will be needed in the winter. Year-round grazing is possible in some areas but requires intensive manage-ment. Finally, most farms will also have roads, barns, and common areas that are not included in pasture; remember to account for these non-productive areas when determining the total carrying capacity of a farm.

Understanding the soil types available on a piece of property is valuable in many ways, especially when considering the production potential of a piece of land before renting or purchasing. Carrying capacity can be used to estimate the profitability of the land, and ultimately its value, based on the number of animals it might carry. In addition, understanding soil properties can help develop a strategy to locate buildings, roads, and fencing on marginal soils and utilize the best soils for pasture. Fundamentally, a clear understanding of your soils and how they are located will help you to better manage your land base.

To maximize the production poten-tial of your soils you should maintain optimum soil fertility by collecting soil samples routinely and following labora-tory fertilizer recommendations. Since permanent pastures benefit from recy-cled nutrients in manure and urine, you only need to soil sample pastures every three years. Cutting hay from pastures removes much more nutrients, therefore hay fields should be soil sampled every year. Multiple soil cores (10 to 20) should be taken with a soil probe and mixed together to form one sample for analysis at the lab. Soil samples should represent the top 3 to 4 inches of soil in untilled fields such as pastures. Generally, each sample submitted should represent no more than 20 acres. Separate samples should be submitted for areas within a pasture that have major differences in soil properties or historic management (for example if there was previously a tobacco patch within a pasture). Finally, fertilizer and lime should be applied ac-cording to laboratory recommendations. More information on fertilizer and lime recommendations can be found in the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service publication Lime and Nutrient Recommendations (AGR-1) at http://www2.ca.uky.edu/agc/pubs/agr/agr1/agr1.pdf.

SummarySoil type has a significant impact on

the productivity and limitations of a pasture. Web Soil Survey provides farm managers and owners with valuable in-formation that can be used to calculate the carrying capacity of the farm they manage. Proper pasture management is essential to reach maximum utiliza-tion without overgrazing and damaging pastures.

More information and soil sampling resources can be found by contacting your local county cooperative extension agent; visit www.ca.uky.edu/county to locate your extension office.

5

Appendix A

6

Appendix A - Farm A: Approximately 1,000 acres located in Fayette County, currently used for horse pasture

Yields of Non-Irrigated Crops (Map Unit): Pasture (AUM)—Fayette County Area, Part of Fayette County, ...

Natural ResourcesConservation Service

Web Soil SurveyNational Cooperative Soil Survey

5/27/2015Page 1 of 5

4219

600

4220

100

4220

600

4221

100

4221

600

4222

100

4222

600

4223

100

4223

600

4219

600

4220

100

4220

600

4221

100

4221

600

4222

100

4222

600

4223

100

4223

600

717800 718300 718800 719300 719800 720300 720800

717800 718300 718800 719300 719800 720300 720800

38° 8' 9'' N

84° 3

1' 3

'' W

38° 8' 9'' N

84° 2

8' 4

5'' W

38° 5' 45'' N

84° 3

1' 3

'' W

38° 5' 45'' N

84° 2

8' 4

5'' W

N

Map projection: Web Mercator Corner coordinates: WGS84 Edge tics: UTM Zone 16N WGS840 1000 2000 4000 6000

Feet0 300 600 1200 1800

MetersMap Scale: 1:21,700 if printed on A portrait (8.5" x 11") sheet.

7

MAP LEGEND MAP INFORMATION

Area of Interest (AOI)Area of Interest (AOI)

SoilsSoil Rating Polygons

<= 7.10

> 7.10 and <= 8.10

> 8.10 and <= 8.60

> 8.60 and <= 9.00

> 9.00 and <= 9.50

Not rated or not available

Soil Rating Lines<= 7.10

> 7.10 and <= 8.10

> 8.10 and <= 8.60

> 8.60 and <= 9.00

> 9.00 and <= 9.50

Not rated or not available

Soil Rating Points<= 7.10

> 7.10 and <= 8.10

> 8.10 and <= 8.60

> 8.60 and <= 9.00

> 9.00 and <= 9.50

Not rated or not available

Water FeaturesStreams and Canals

TransportationRails

Interstate Highways

US Routes

Major Roads

Local Roads

BackgroundAerial Photography

The soil surveys that comprise your AOI were mapped at 1:15,800.

Please rely on the bar scale on each map sheet for mapmeasurements.

Source of Map: Natural Resources Conservation ServiceWeb Soil Survey URL: http://websoilsurvey.nrcs.usda.govCoordinate System: Web Mercator (EPSG:3857)

Maps from the Web Soil Survey are based on the Web Mercatorprojection, which preserves direction and shape but distortsdistance and area. A projection that preserves area, such as theAlbers equal-area conic projection, should be used if more accuratecalculations of distance or area are required.

This product is generated from the USDA-NRCS certified data as ofthe version date(s) listed below.

Soil Survey Area: Fayette County Area, Part of Fayette County,KentuckySurvey Area Data: Version 11, Sep 18, 2014

Soil map units are labeled (as space allows) for map scales 1:50,000or larger.

Date(s) aerial images were photographed: Oct 4, 2011—Feb 20,2012

The orthophoto or other base map on which the soil lines werecompiled and digitized probably differs from the backgroundimagery displayed on these maps. As a result, some minor shiftingof map unit boundaries may be evident.

Yields of Non-Irrigated Crops (Map Unit): Pasture (AUM)—Fayette County Area, Part of Fayette County, Kentucky

Natural ResourcesConservation Service

Web Soil SurveyNational Cooperative Soil Survey

5/27/2015Page 2 of 5

Appendix A

8

Yields of Non-Irrigated Crops (Map Unit): Pasture (AUM)

Yields of Non-Irrigated Crops (Map Unit): Pasture (AUM)— Summary by Map Unit — Fayette County Area, Part of FayetteCounty, Kentucky (KY643)

Map unit symbol Map unit name Rating Acres in AOI Percent of AOI

ArA Armour silt loam, 0 to 2percent slopes (elk)

9.50 29.5 2.9%

ArB Armour silt loam, 2 to 6percent slopes (elk)

9.50 6.2 0.6%

DoC Donerail silt loam, 6 to 12percent slopes

7.10 1.4 0.1%

Ea Egam silt loam (woolper) 9.00 7.5 0.7%

Hu Huntington silt loam 9.50 109.2 10.6%

La Lanton silty clay loam(dunning)

8.60 46.5 4.5%

LoB Loradale silt loam, 2 to 6percent slopes

9.00 29.2 2.8%

LoC Loradale silt loam, 6 to 12percent slopes

8.60 3.7 0.4%

LoC2 Loradale silt loam, 6 to 12percent slopes,eroded

8.60 4.4 0.4%

LwB Lowell silt loam, 2 to 6percent slopes

9.00 7.5 0.7%

LwC2 Lowell silt loam, 6 to 12percent slopes,eroded

8.60 4.1 0.4%

MnB McAfee silt loam, 2 to 6percent slopes

8.10 103.8 10.0%

MnC McAfee silt loam, 6 to 12percent slopes

8.10 20.6 2.0%

MpB2 McAfee silty clay loam, 2to 6 percent slopes,eroded

8.10 21.8 2.1%

MpC2 McAfee silty clay loam, 6to 12 percent slopes,eroded

8.10 16.4 1.6%

MpD2 McAfee silty clay loam,12 to 20 percentslopes, eroded

7.60 7.8 0.8%

MuB Mercer silt loam, 2 to 6percent slopes(nicholson)

8.60 13.5 1.3%

MuC Mercer silt loam, 6 to 12percent slopes(nicholson)

7.60 1.1 0.1%

Yields of Non-Irrigated Crops (Map Unit): Pasture (AUM)—Fayette County Area, Part of FayetteCounty, Kentucky

Natural ResourcesConservation Service

Web Soil SurveyNational Cooperative Soil Survey

5/27/2015Page 3 of 5

Appendix A

9

Yields of Non-Irrigated Crops (Map Unit): Pasture (AUM)— Summary by Map Unit — Fayette County Area, Part of FayetteCounty, Kentucky (KY643)

Map unit symbol Map unit name Rating Acres in AOI Percent of AOI

Ne Newark silt loam, 0 to 2percent slopes,occasionally flooded

9.00 18.7 1.8%

ScC2 Salvisa silty clay loam, 6to 12 percent slopes,eroded

6.70 5.8 0.6%

uBlmB Bluegrass-Maury siltloams, 2 to 6 percentslopes

9.50 500.1 48.4%

uMlmC Maury-Bluegrass siltloams, 6 to 12 percentslopes

9.00 67.2 6.5%

W Water 8.4 0.8%

Totals for Area of Interest 1,034.3 100.0%

Yields of Non-Irrigated Crops (Map Unit): Pasture (AUM)—Fayette County Area, Part of FayetteCounty, Kentucky

Natural ResourcesConservation Service

Web Soil SurveyNational Cooperative Soil Survey

5/27/2015Page 4 of 5

Appendix A

10

Description

These are the estimated average yields per acre that can be expected of selectednonirrigated crops under a high level of management. In any given year, yields maybe higher or lower than those indicated because of variations in rainfall and otherclimatic factors.

In the database, some states maintain crop yield data by individual map unitcomponent and others maintain the data at the map unit level. Attributes areincluded in this application for both, although only one or the other is likely to containdata for any given geographic area. This attribute uses data maintained at the mapunit level.

The yields are actually recorded as three separate values in the database. A lowvalue and a high value indicate the range for the soil component. A "representative"value indicates the expected value for the component. For these yields, only therepresentative value is used.

The yields are based mainly on the experience and records of farmers,conservationists, and extension agents. Available yield data from nearby areas andresults of field trials and demonstrations also are considered.

The management needed to obtain the indicated yields of the various cropsdepends on the kind of soil and the crop. Management can include drainage,erosion control, and protection from flooding; the proper planting and seeding rates;suitable high-yielding crop varieties; appropriate and timely tillage; control ofweeds, plant diseases, and harmful insects; favorable soil reaction and optimumlevels of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and trace elements for each crop;effective use of crop residue, barnyard manure, and green manure crops; andharvesting that ensures the smallest possible loss.

The estimated yields reflect the productive capacity of each soil for the selectedcrop. Yields are likely to increase as new production technology is developed. Theproductivity of a given soil compared with that of other soils, however, is not likelyto change.

Rating Options

Crop: Pasture

Yield Units: AUM

Aggregation Method: No Aggregation Necessary

Tie-break Rule: Higher

Yields of Non-Irrigated Crops (Map Unit): Pasture (AUM)—Fayette County Area, Part of FayetteCounty, Kentucky

Natural ResourcesConservation Service

Web Soil SurveyNational Cooperative Soil Survey

5/27/2015Page 5 of 5

Appendix A

11

Appendix B

12

Appendix B - Farm B: Approximately 950 acres in Owen County, currently used for beef production

Yields of Non-Irrigated Crops (Map Unit): Pasture (AUM)—Carroll, Gallatin, and Owen Counties, Kentucky

Natural ResourcesConservation Service

Web Soil SurveyNational Cooperative Soil Survey

5/27/2015Page 1 of 4

4266

900

4267

400

4267

900

4268

400

4268

900

4269

400

4269

900

4270

400

4270

900

4266

900

4267

400

4267

900

4268

400

4268

900

4269

400

4269

900

4270

400

4270

900

695600 696100 696600 697100 697600 698100 698600

695600 696100 696600 697100 697600 698100 698600

38° 34' 0'' N

84° 4

5' 2

5'' W

38° 34' 0'' N

84° 4

3' 7

'' W

38° 31' 36'' N

84° 4

5' 2

5'' W

38° 31' 36'' N

84° 4

3' 7

'' W

N

Map projection: Web Mercator Corner coordinates: WGS84 Edge tics: UTM Zone 16N WGS840 1000 2000 4000 6000

Feet0 300 600 1200 1800

MetersMap Scale: 1:21,600 if printed on A portrait (8.5" x 11") sheet.

13

MAP LEGEND MAP INFORMATION

Area of Interest (AOI)Area of Interest (AOI)

SoilsSoil Rating Polygons

<= 1.90

> 1.90 and <= 5.70

> 5.70 and <= 8.10

> 8.10 and <= 9.00

> 9.00 and <= 9.50

Not rated or not available

Soil Rating Lines<= 1.90

> 1.90 and <= 5.70

> 5.70 and <= 8.10

> 8.10 and <= 9.00

> 9.00 and <= 9.50

Not rated or not available

Soil Rating Points<= 1.90

> 1.90 and <= 5.70

> 5.70 and <= 8.10

> 8.10 and <= 9.00

> 9.00 and <= 9.50

Not rated or not available

Water FeaturesStreams and Canals

TransportationRails

Interstate Highways

US Routes

Major Roads

Local Roads

BackgroundAerial Photography

The soil surveys that comprise your AOI were mapped at 1:15,800.

Please rely on the bar scale on each map sheet for mapmeasurements.

Source of Map: Natural Resources Conservation ServiceWeb Soil Survey URL: http://websoilsurvey.nrcs.usda.govCoordinate System: Web Mercator (EPSG:3857)

Maps from the Web Soil Survey are based on the Web Mercatorprojection, which preserves direction and shape but distortsdistance and area. A projection that preserves area, such as theAlbers equal-area conic projection, should be used if more accuratecalculations of distance or area are required.

This product is generated from the USDA-NRCS certified data as ofthe version date(s) listed below.

Soil Survey Area: Carroll, Gallatin, and Owen Counties, KentuckySurvey Area Data: Version 11, Sep 17, 2014

Soil map units are labeled (as space allows) for map scales 1:50,000or larger.

Date(s) aerial images were photographed: Oct 4, 2011—Feb 20,2012

The orthophoto or other base map on which the soil lines werecompiled and digitized probably differs from the backgroundimagery displayed on these maps. As a result, some minor shiftingof map unit boundaries may be evident.

Yields of Non-Irrigated Crops (Map Unit): Pasture (AUM)—Carroll, Gallatin, and Owen Counties, Kentucky

Natural ResourcesConservation Service

Web Soil SurveyNational Cooperative Soil Survey

5/27/2015Page 2 of 4

Appendix B

14

Yields of Non-Irrigated Crops (Map Unit): Pasture (AUM)

Yields of Non-Irrigated Crops (Map Unit): Pasture (AUM)— Summary by Map Unit — Carroll, Gallatin, and Owen Counties,Kentucky (KY612)

Map unit symbol Map unit name Rating Acres in AOI Percent of AOI

AlD Alluvial land, steep(wheeling)

6.1 0.6%

BrC Brashear silty clay loam,6 to 12 percent slopes

8.60 11.0 1.2%

BrD Brashear silty clay loam,12 to 20 percentslopes

8.60 0.4 0.0%

EdD Eden silty clay loam, 12to 20 percent slopes

5.70 264.0 27.7%

EfE3 Eden flaggy silty clay, 20to 30 percent slopes,severely eroded

4.80 539.9 56.7%

ErA Elk silt loam, 0 to 2percent slopes, rarelyflooded

9.50 3.0 0.3%

FrF Fairmount-Rock outcropcomplex, 30 to 60percent slopes

1.90 0.0 0.0%

HeC Heitt silt loam, 6 to 12percent slopes

7.60 54.3 5.7%

LlB Lowell silt loam, 2 to 6percent slopes

9.00 3.3 0.3%

LlC Lowell silt loam, 6 to 12percent slopes

8.60 18.1 1.9%

Ne Newark silt loam, 0 to 2percent slopes,frequently flooded

9.00 2.0 0.2%

No Nolin silt loam 9.50 35.1 3.7%

OtB Otwell silt loam, 2 to 6percent slopes

8.10 13.7 1.4%

W Water 1.6 0.2%

WoA Woolper silty clay loam, 0to 2 percent slopes

9.00 0.1 0.0%

Totals for Area of Interest 952.5 100.0%

Yields of Non-Irrigated Crops (Map Unit): Pasture (AUM)—Carroll, Gallatin, and Owen Counties,Kentucky

Natural ResourcesConservation Service

Web Soil SurveyNational Cooperative Soil Survey

5/27/2015Page 3 of 4

Appendix B

15

Description

These are the estimated average yields per acre that can be expected of selectednonirrigated crops under a high level of management. In any given year, yields maybe higher or lower than those indicated because of variations in rainfall and otherclimatic factors.

In the database, some states maintain crop yield data by individual map unitcomponent and others maintain the data at the map unit level. Attributes areincluded in this application for both, although only one or the other is likely to containdata for any given geographic area. This attribute uses data maintained at the mapunit level.

The yields are actually recorded as three separate values in the database. A lowvalue and a high value indicate the range for the soil component. A "representative"value indicates the expected value for the component. For these yields, only therepresentative value is used.

The yields are based mainly on the experience and records of farmers,conservationists, and extension agents. Available yield data from nearby areas andresults of field trials and demonstrations also are considered.

The management needed to obtain the indicated yields of the various cropsdepends on the kind of soil and the crop. Management can include drainage,erosion control, and protection from flooding; the proper planting and seeding rates;suitable high-yielding crop varieties; appropriate and timely tillage; control ofweeds, plant diseases, and harmful insects; favorable soil reaction and optimumlevels of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and trace elements for each crop;effective use of crop residue, barnyard manure, and green manure crops; andharvesting that ensures the smallest possible loss.

The estimated yields reflect the productive capacity of each soil for the selectedcrop. Yields are likely to increase as new production technology is developed. Theproductivity of a given soil compared with that of other soils, however, is not likelyto change.

Rating Options

Crop: Pasture

Yield Units: AUM

Aggregation Method: No Aggregation Necessary

Tie-break Rule: Higher

Yields of Non-Irrigated Crops (Map Unit): Pasture (AUM)—Carroll, Gallatin, and Owen Counties,Kentucky

Natural ResourcesConservation Service

Web Soil SurveyNational Cooperative Soil Survey

5/27/2015Page 4 of 4

Appendix B

Educational programs of Kentucky Cooperative Extension serve all people regardless of economic or social status and will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ethnic origin, national origin, creed, religion, political belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, marital status, genetic information, age, veteran status, or physical or mental disability. Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Nancy M. Cox, Director of Cooperative Extension Programs, University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, Lexington, and Kentucky State University, Frankfort. Copyright © 2016 for materials developed by University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension. This publication may be reproduced in portions or its entirety for educational or non-profit purposes only. Permitted users shall give credit to the author(s) and include this copyright notice. Publications are also available on the World Wide Web at www.ca.uky.edu.

Issued 8-2016